Genesis Ch.20

Father God, we thank you for another new day. We give You praise and thanksgiving and say May Your name forever be glorified over all the ends of the earth and in the lives of Your sons and daughters in the name of Jesus, Amen. Thank you LORD.

Today's reading is based on Genesis 20 NKJV. This chapter starts off with Abraham moving to a different land and staying in the land of Gerar (Genesis 20:1). When the King Abimelech of Gerar saw Sarah, he took her from Abraham who had referred to Sarah as his sister again! But God came in a dream by night and said to Abimelech, "Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman who you have taken, for she is a man's wife." (Genesis 20:3). King Gerar was able to plead his innocence to God by letting him know that he did not know Sarah was Abraham's wife as he had referred to her as his sister (Genesis 20:5).

Finally, we see Abimelech returning Sarah to Abraham immediately for fear that his life including the lives of His people was in danger. God had also instructed him to tell Abraham to pray for him and when Abraham prayed for Abimelech, God healed his wife and female servants (Genesis 20:7 &17). Genesis 20:18 tells us, "for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife."

Before we get to the conclusion of this chapter as seen in the above paragraph, the LORD in Genesis 20:6 responds something worthy to note to Abimelech's request, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her."

Often times, its easy to think that you can break a bad habit or deliver yourself out of that negative cycle by yourself or try 'self help' but here we see here that God gave King Abimelech the restraint to not sin against Him. Abimelech did not restrain himself in his own strength but rather, unknown to him God's power working on the inside of him gave him self-control to stay away from Sarah.

The power of God that flowed through Abimelech that restrained him away from Sarah may be comparable to the power that works on the inside of the every believer who has chosen to give their life to Christ by becoming born again.

When you give your life to Christ, the old life is passed away and the new life based on a new covenant in Christ is here (2 Corinthians 5:17). This means that God no longer remembers your past sins because when He looks at you, all He sees is Jesus Christ and what He did for you on the cross. People may not easily forget what you did in the past but God forgets your sins forever (Hebrews 10:17-18). Consequently, this means Jesus' death on the cross, His resurrection from the dead and ascension to heaven is what gives you right standing with God and not your works or good actions.

Choosing to become born again also means that you are no longer in control of your life but Jesus is, as Hebrews 12:2 reminds us that He is the 'author and finisher of our faith' making you more than conquerors in all things (Romans 8:37). To reiterate our victory over all circumstances in Christ, 1 John 5:4-5 reminds us, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God!"

In addition, 1 Peter 2:25 reminds us, "For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." This Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep (John 10:11) and that has been entrusted with your soul is God's One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.

If God knew that you could break a bad habit, cycle, negative pattern or sin in your own strength, then He would never have sent Christ. A life in Christ is a life surrendered to Christ's heart to not only lead and guide your ways but to also acknowledge that Christ is more interested in your freedom and deliverance than you maybe. However, as a born again believer, you have to allow Him to do His work in you by asking for His help in all things and practicing obedience as you partner with Him in everything that He has planned for your life in the name of Jesus. Amen. Now if God gave His beloved only Son Christ to you, how will He not give you all these other things!

I'll end with these Scriptures:

Psalm 136:1 NKJV

"Oh, give thanks for the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

Psalm 124:6-8 NKJV

"6.Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.

7.Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers, the snare is broken and we have escaped.

8.Our help is in the name of the LORD, who has made heaven and earth."

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NLT

"16.So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know Him now!

17.This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone: a new life has begun!"

2 Corinthains 5:21 NLT

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."

AMEN. THANK YOU LORD.

Invitation to salvation: If you would like to experience the blessings of having a love covenant with God whose willing and ready to be an ever present help in time of need - I invite you to make this confession:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and with God as my loving Father today and forever." AMEN.

Congratulations, by grace you are saved and are now a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old life has passed away and you have received the free gift of salvation into your life (2 Corinthians 5:17) where you get to freely access everything I've shared in this post. To the glory of the Almighty God. Amen.

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